Automatic weighing-scoop.



PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

A. L. SWANK.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING SCOOP.

APPLIGATION mum rm.2s,1so4. nmnwnn snrw. 21,1905.

2 SHEETQ-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR. ARTH R L1 SWAN'K.

ATTORNEK WITNESSES:

No. 807,334. Q PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905. A. L. SWANK. AUTOMATIC WBIGHINGSCOOP.

APPLIOATION FILED PEB.23,1904. RENEWED SEPT. 21,1905.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wl TNESSES. IN VENTOR.

WW M/M ARTHUR L4 SWHNK.

BY J 9 &M

W ATTORNEY.

NITED STAZES PATENT oFFIoE.

ARTHUR L. SWANK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. L. HESS,OF ASHLAND, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC WElGHlNG-SCOOP- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

A li ati fil d February 23, 1904. Renewed September 21, 1905. Serial No.279,433.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. SwANK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic I/Veighing-Scoops; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in ro theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to means combined with a receptacle forindicatingthe weight of or other data relative to the contents of the receptacleconstructed and operating substantially as shown and described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of mynew and improved scoop, and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, enlarged asto Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the links and framework ofthe weighing mechanism. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation ofthe scoop complete;

and Fig. 5 is a View on a line corresponding to x ac,Fig. 4, lookingdown. Fig. 6 is a crosssection on line y y, Fig. 4.

The invention as thus shown is an improvement on the construction shownin my applio cation, Serial No. 178,136, in particulars, as

will hereinafter more fully appear.

A represents the scoop as a whole, and B the handle. These two parts arein movable re lation to each other with the weighing mech- 3 5 ism asthe interposed connecting part, so that any added weight in the scoop,however small will be accurately weighed and the weight thereof shown bytransversely-swinging indicator O. The scoop proper or scooping portionthereof extends forward from the wall a, which in the presentconstruction extends across the rear portion of the scoop its entiredepth and width and ust far enough from the rear walla to form acompartment for the 5 weighing mechanism. This compartment is exclusivefrom the scoop proper, so that not even moisture can enter therefrom,and the inner wall a is also shown in this instance as extending forwardat the sides of the scoop and apart therefrom to provide space forsecuring and operating parallel links D of the weighing mechanism. Thesaid links are two in number on both sides and are pivoted at theirfront ends at d and at their rear on plate D, to the center of whichhandle B is rigidly secured in any suitable way. The handle B and theplate D being in one piece may more properly be termed thehandle-support. In this instance transverse rods d serve to pivot theparallel links D; but any other suitable connection for said links willsuflice.

A closely-wound spiral spring G is shown at the center of the scoop inthe rear compartment and connected at its upper end to projection g onplate D and at its lower end by screw g to the floor or bottom of thescoop. Avertical slot in the rear wall of the scoop for the handle makesprovision for the movement of the scoop up and down in relation to thehandle, and it is obvious from the foregoing construction that if weightbe added to the scoop and rear plate D be held up by handle B the scoopwill descend against the tension or pull of spring G. It is obvious alsothat plate D having the link connections D at top and bottom, will beheld relatively according to the length of said links. This leads up toone of the material improvements in the present invention over thatshown in my former case, No. 178,136. In the said application I coulduse only short links of the depth of the rear compartment front to rear;but this produced so much lev erage and friction on the bearings of thelinks that it was diflicult to get uniform ac tion in the scoop at allelevations; but by extending the links forward at the sides of the scoopsuch friction is reduced to the n1ini mum and the weighing mechanismacts equally well and uniformly at all elevations or weightsthat is, itwill weigh one ounce or twenty ounces with equal and exact accuracy. Ashere shown, the said links D extend forward to about midway the lengthof the scoop,

The indicator or dial-hand O is pivoted at c on the inner cross-wall aof the scoop and has a finger c at its top adapted to sweep over thegraduated scale or dial H, on which are marks of any suitabledenominations, such as ounces and pounds. The said dial or scale iscurved to the radius of the indicator from its pivot c, and theconstruction and arrangement of all the parts is such that when thescoop is empty the indicator will be at one side of the scoop with itsfinger at zero. A transverse slot is provided for the said inditor,which it is free to traverse without friction, and the entire weighingorganization is as sensitive and responsive as the best weighing-scalesfor small merchandise. The dialhand or indicator also has a projection cat right angles off its pivot c,with which is connected a relativelylong link h, pivotally attached at its other end to the plate D onprojection 61 It follows when the scoop descends under more or lessadded weight that there will be a corresponding pull down ward on pivotc, and as link it is held up through plate D and handle B the indicatorC will be moved toward the left to tell just What is the amount of theweight added. Now in this particular construction there is furthermaterial improvement in the invention. Formerly in the application abovereferred to the projection c on the indicator was slotted and a pinworked in the slot; but I find that this produces so much friction ofsuch irregular character that it materially and injuriously affects theoperation, and hence I have shown herein my original but hithertoundisclosed construction for making this connection. This gives thedial-hand or indicator a positive and even movement, as the link isalways the same distance from the center and the dial-hand or indicatoris caused to move always with the same speed at whatever point it may bein its travel.

A sliding spring-pressed locking-bolt N is supported on handle B andadapted to lock automatically and normally in the back wall of the scoopand serves to make handle B rigid with the scoop for all uses exceptweighingthat is, the bolt is in locking engagement with the scoop at alltimes except when weight is being ascertained, and to disengage the boltit has a finger-hook n in convenient position outside and bottom wherethe forefinger can easily reach the same and release the bolt forweighing purposes when the scoop has been filled.

The scoop proper comprises the body A and is supported practically byspring G; but the two sets of upper and lower parallel links Dparticipate in this effect or result in that they carry the body of thescoop, with its load, back to the said spring through plate D.

It would be the same construction practically if the body of the scoopwere to stop at front wall a and the rear wall and sides were an addedpart.

In this instance the upper and lower sets of supporting-links D areshown as crosscon nected rigidly at their rear by bars or rods d, whichhelps to balance the scoop evenly between the sides. This practicallymakes upper and lower link-frames, which are pivoted on the supportingmember D at their rear ends, and this member or support D carries allthe weighing mechanism and has a free play up and down in the scoop andworks practically in vertical lines.

While I have herein shown and described a scoop and aweight-scalecombined therewith, I do not wish this invention to be limited to anyparticular kind of receptacle nor to any particular kind of scale thatmight be used instead of the weight-scale.

l/Vhat I claim is 1. The combination of a receptacle, a handle-supporttherefor, a pair of parallel links on each side of the receptacleconnected therewith at their front ends and with the handle-support attheir rear ends, the receptacle provided with a compartment inclosingsaid handle-support, and a spring engaging the receptacle with saidsupport and 10- cated in said compartment.

2. The combination of a receptacle, a handle-support at the rear of thereceptacle, a set of links of equal length pivoted at their rear endstop and bottom to said support and at their front ends at the sides ofthe receptacle, a spring connecting said support and receptacle, and anindicator pivotally supported on the receptacle and having actuatingconnections with the handle-support substantially as described.

3. The combination of a handle-support, a receptacle in movablerelations to said sup port, a pair of links of equal length at each sidepivotally connected with the said support at their rear ends and withthe sides of the receptacle at their front ends, a spring between saidsupport and receptacle, and an indicator having connections with boththe support and the receptacle at its lower end, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination of a receptacle, weighing mechanism therefor providedwith parallel upper and lower supporting-links pivoted at the sides ofthe receptacle approximately near its middle portion, a sup portcarrying the rear ends of said links, a spring engaged at its respectiveends with said support and said receptacle, a handle fixed on saidsupport, and an indicator having operative connection with said supportand pivoted on said receptacle, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a receptacle, a handle-support in the rear portionthereof, a pair of links of equal length pivoted at their respectiveends 011 each side to said receptacle and support, a spring connectingthe receptacle and support, an indicator supported on the receptacle atthe rear and bottom thereof having a lateral projection at its lowerend, and a link pivotally connected with said projection and saidsupport, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a receptacle, a sepasides of the receptacle and onsaid support at their respective ends, a spring connecting thereceptacle and support in said compart ment and an indicator operativelyconnected with both said receptacle and support, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I sign this specifica tion in the presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR L. SWANK. Witnesses:

R. B. MosER, C. A. SELL.

